Kildare's Culture and Creativity Plan Launch

Kildare's Culture and Creativity Plan, a Creative Ireland initiative, was launched by Mayor of Kildare, Cllr Ivan Keatley, at a meeting of the Local Community & Culture Strategic Policy Group meeting on Monday 29th May in Áras Chill Dara, Naas.

The Mayor welcomed the Plan, acknowledging the large attendance at the public meeting earlier this year, stating that the 'cultural sector show great enthusiasm in getting involved to create greater visibility and to add value to their work. The Plan will inform future cultural initiatives in the coming years.'

Chairperson of the strategic policy committee, Cllr Kevin Byrne said that the Plan will 'further promote the quality and breadth of cultural services and resources' that have been progressed through this committee and other council strategic policy committees.

A national launch of 31 Local Authority Culture and Creativity Plans for 2017 took place at a special event in Dublin Castle, attended by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD

Speaking about the Kildare Culture Plan, Minister Humphreys said:

“I would like to sincerely thank all of the Culture Team in Kildare who have been working so hard in recent months to help us realise some of the key ambitions in the Creative Ireland programme. Kildare already has a vibrant cultural scene and through Creative Ireland we want to see more people in Kildare participating in the arts locally.

Through Creative Ireland we want to create an ecosystem of creativity in Kildare and every other county nationwide; we want to see more people not just attending the theatre or going to a cultural event, we want to see them getting involved. In this way, we can help to build happier, healthier communities. This Culture Plan is coming at a very good time for Kildare, after I approved a grant of €1 million for the Riverbank Theatre earlier this year.

The power of culture cannot be overestimated; arts and culture can open our minds, enliven our communities and enrich our children’s lives. The development of a Culture Plan is also an important commitment in the Action Plan for Rural Development, because we believe that culture should be part of the development of every community, be it rural, urban, or somewhere in between. I look forward to seeing this plan being implemented in Kildare in the coming months, to see Creative Ireland in action.”